as in mute
a device on a musical instrument that deadens or softens its tone
the pianist used the damper pedal on the piano for the quiet passages
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Recent Examples of damper
The problem may be that the fireplace damper is not closed or doesn't seal properly.
—
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 16 Jan. 2026
Witnesses reported a loud explosion and saw sparks and flames as the jet went overboard, while below deck, the crosshead ejected from the sheave damper, ‘spinning like the Tasmanian devil’ in what was described as an ‘entirely preventable’ mishap, according to USNI.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Manual dampers can also be used to regulate airflow.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2025
Lowering the thermostat, checking and replacing air filters and ensuring fireplace dampers are closed when not in use can all help conserve energy, added the FTC.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for damper
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 16 Jan. 2026
Witnesses reported a loud explosion and saw sparks and flames as the jet went overboard, while below deck, the crosshead ejected from the sheave damper, ‘spinning like the Tasmanian devil’ in what was described as an ‘entirely preventable’ mishap, according to USNI.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Manual dampers can also be used to regulate airflow.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2025
Lowering the thermostat, checking and replacing air filters and ensuring fireplace dampers are closed when not in use can all help conserve energy, added the FTC.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for damper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damper
mute
Noun
-
On a recent afternoon, the pair of mutes roamed the tiered backyard.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
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Additional features include one-touch mute for up to 10 hours, micro-mesh insect protection, soft night lighting to minimize disturbance, and bilingual English and French voice alerts for multilingual households.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Damper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damper. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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